If Todd McLellan has any line changes in mind for tonight’s series opener against the Red Wings, he didn’t show his cards at the morning skate. Instead, it was the same forward combinations that started Game 6 against Colorado:

Marleau-Thornton-Mitchell

Clowe-Pavelski-Setoguchi

Heatley-Couture-Malhotra

McGinn-Nichol-Helminen

McLellan talked about the need for his team to display the same kind of net presence that Tomas Holmstrom brings every night for Detroit, planting himself in front of the opposing goalie, especially on the power play.

But McLellan isn’t looking for just one Shark to provide that presence.

“I don’t think we can leave it up to one guy,” McLellan said. “The fact that Tomas does it well, doesn’t mean that Dan Cleary, Johan Franzen, Bertuzzi don’t do it. They’re there as well and we need to get to that area in the offensive zone collectively.”

The mood in the Sharks locker room seemed light and confident. The media crowd gets bigger round-by-round and there were mini-scrums all over the place this morning.

I tended to avoid the bigger ones, but here’s a sampling of what I came away with:

***I talked with Devin Setoguchi about the fact his line might be getting more attention from the Red Wings considering the success it had against the Avalanche.

“You like to have a little bit of a challenge going into a series,” he said. “Last series we were able to step up and provide some offense for our team and we expect the same things out of ourselves.”

He said at no point did Colorado put a checking line out against himself, Pavelski and Clowe, but agreed that could change in the next series.

“You just have to battle through it and make it tough for anyone who’s out there to plahy against you,” Setoguchi said.

He said he watched the third period of Montreal’s upset over the Washington Capitals, the second year in a row that the Presidents’ Trophy-winning team didn’t survive the first round.

“It’s a big upset,” Setoguchi said. “We’ve all been there before, but let’s not go down that path.”

***Dwight Helminen’s Michigan background earned him a lot of attention. Born on the Upper Peninsula, he grew up in Brighton — about 45 minutes outside Detroit — and was a big Red Wings fan.

“It’s a thrill to get to play against the team I watched growing up and it’s extra special it’s in the playoffs,” said Helminen, 26. “There’s a lot on the line here and it’s one of the times where you really really want it, especially against these guys.”

Helminen, who went on to play college hockey at Michigan, talked about being a kid watching Nicklas Lidstrom play and later trying to pattern his style after Kris Draper. But there no sense of divided loyalties. Now his mission is to help knock those same players out of the post-season.

He said his immediate family is on board with the switch of allegiances.

“First cousins and stuff, all claim they’re cheering for the Sharks,” he said.

His sister, however, told him that a couple of her friends remain loyal to the Red Wings.

“They actually live in a house I own so I may have to adjust the rent,” Helminen said. “The rent might be going up.”

***Torrey Mitchell talked about how playing on a line with Joe ‘Thornton and Patrick Marleau does put him out on the ice more with some of the opposition’s top players, maybe a guy like Lidstrom.

“Sometimes you realize it and you have to be careful, especially with a guy like Lidstrom,” he continued. “With Lidstrom, if you do finish your check you better make sure you’re on the defensive side because he’ll jump by you and make plays.”

Mitchell realizes that his current line still hasn’t been productive.

“It’s been OK. We haven’t produced offensively much but hopefully we can get that going tonight,” he said. “Sometimes it takes time. I don’t know how long I’ll be on that line, but hopefully we can get it going tonight.”

***Former Shark Brad Stuart also drew a crowd in the Detroit locker room, where he played down the fact he’ll be facing the team that drafted him and where he played more than 300 games before going to the Boston Bruins in the trade that brought Joe Thornton to San Jose.

“It’s been a long time, so it’s just another series for me as far as I’m concerned,” said Stuart, now 30. “It’s been five years almost. First couple years coming back was a little strange but it’s no big deal anymore.”

Stuart says he still has a lot of good memories from his days as a Sharks and still makes his home here in the off-season with his wife and two children.

“It was a lot of fun to play here, but that was a long time ago,” he said, “and things change, sometimes for the better.”

How has he changed as a player since leaving San Jose?

“I’m not relied on for offense on this team,” he said, “so I’ve been able to focus more on being physical and just being more reliable, a solid defensive player.

“I thnk,” he added, “that I’ve figured out how to be ready to compete every night. The first four or five years in the league, that’s something you’re always struggling with, bringing it every night. And I think I’ve figured it out, how to be more consistent.”

Interesting answer.

David Pollak

David Pollak has been following the NHL forever and at the Mercury News as an editor or reporter since 1987. For almost a decade he wrote about the Sharks as the paper's Fan in the Stands before joining the sports department in 2001. He became the Sharks beat writer before the 2007-08 season and began this blog at that time. You can also follow him on Twitter at @PollakOnSharks.

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Figure it this way, Mr Formerly: High unemployment (though not as high as Detroit’s self-reported 50%!), budget problems, terrible governor, deadlocked do-nothing legislature, higher than normal taxes, and some of the worst roads you’ll ever drive–But people pay thousands of dollars to live here all the same! I know I wouldn’t rather live anywhere else, despite my kvetching about all the other problems. Maybe northern New Zealand… Too much rain, though, despite the otherwise ideal climate.

mdgolf

and (Insert Name of State Here) is now a pit of despair, with high unemployment, an out of control budget deficit, rampant illegal immigration, and crushing taxes

Yeah, you really got us with that one…

David

I want to see Ryane Clowe screening Howard just like Sean Avery on Brodeur.

mdgolf

Now…regarding the series…I don’t think there’s any mystery. Both teams know what they need to do, and let’s face it – mistakes and bounces and the timing of each are probably going to decide the winner.

Bottom line, If I see he effort like I have since Game 2 of the first round, I can live with the result and not point fingers and gnash teeth.

I do think Patty Marleau is the one Shark that must pick his game up dramatically from the first round and play some defense. I saw minimal back-checking, and very soft play on the boards and in the corners from him. I am more concerned about that than the lack of offense.

With one of our D having to deal with a Redwing in front of the net all the time, the forwards helping will be the difference in the series IMHO.

Planet

“There are as many Detroit fans here as there are for much the same reason there are so many Bruins and Red Sox fans. ”

Yes, and also because there are some pretty good colleges there, and there are some pretty good jobs here. I think the majority of hockey fan transplants from Detroit, Boston, Philadelphia, etc living here are highly educated / highly compensated people – even if they might not act like it when they are at the Tank…

SharkBabe

Dominate the faceoff circle – batter the net with biscuits – Nabby, be “the beast”!
Time to clip some Wings! GO SHARKS!!!

Planet

“…and Calif is now a pit of despair, with high unemployment, an out of control budget deficit, rampant illegal immigration, and crushing taxes…”

And with beautiful weather, and gorgeous beaches, and great food, and a beautiful environment, and (mostly) nice people, and great diversity, and great universities, and lots of cutting edge companies that value their employees more than many businesses do.

I actually like Darryl Reaugh! I think he is funny –“those two guys were going at it in front of the net like a couple of rutting elk!” — insightful and intelligent. Not to mention a walking thesaurus… You gotta’ love those former goalies… 🙂

Planet–Eh, Michigan schools are pretty good. Public education aside (“This city has no viable future”) the universities and private schools are good enough that moving all the way out here for something this side of Stanford isn’t necessary. And Boston’s got some great schools!

But, yeah, there are other reasons for the internal-migration. And if the census is any indication, the migration is now shifting towards I think Texas and Florida. I guess people must like hurricanes 😀

Dirty

Here we go folks! hit up the live chat! GAME ON!!!!

Gary

Marleau’s out?? WTF???

slewfoot

Effort boys, time to step it up.

Marleau and Thornton, take a clue from Pavs

chompo

Markeau out

mike

It’s go time. Let’s Do this!!!!! Go SHARKS.

Dirty

HUH? man…that’s ok…..the rest of the guys will do it

O’Puck

Unbelievable. What happened to Patty?

TealPower

Just in – Marleau has been scratched Ortmeyer is in

mike

Who is in for Patty? Probably a 7th defensmen, I’d guess. Leach?

ice

crap

O’Puck

New thread going

mike

What’s gotten into Joe tonight. He’s got some serious intensity.

Wingsnoop

Well played, guys.
Yes, yes… I’m a Wingsfan over here in Michigan, but I’m not here to razz or smacktalk. I’m here as a sports fan to give a hats off to a win well earned.
Stan; Don’t count your team out simply due to the season record. Playoffs in hockey are an entirely different animal than the season. Wings have deep playoff experience, for sure… but that sometimes works against them. Sometimes they just ‘expect’ to win because they frequently do, and then they just mail it in and look stunned when they exit. On the flipside, the unfortunate playoff history of the Sharks may work to your advantage. It might make them the hungrier team, and more than once I’ve seen that sort of hunger in opponents make the Wings set earlier season golf tee-off times.
I look forward to a thrilling series, and sincerely respect your team. May the best win!

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